A transducer is a device that converts variations in a physical quantity, such as sound pressure level, into an electrical signal, and/or vice versa. Just as a transceiver may be used as both a transmitter and receiver, a transducer may be used both as an actuator and a sensor. When a transducer is used both as an actuator (e.g. transforming electrical energy into a transmitted sound pressure level) and as a sensor (e.g. transforming a received sound pressure level into an electrical quantity), often coupling capacitors are used to ensure independence of the output level at the transmitter from the input voltage at the receiver. This coupling capacitor adds to the material cost and the size of the printed circuit board (“PCB”) required to accommodate the coupling capacitor. Additionally, the coupling capacitor introduces attenuation (either transmission loss, reception loss, or both) and decreasing sensitivity at the system level. Next, the coupling capacitor often introduces settling time issues into the system due to the fact that the coupling capacitor needs to discharge or charge in order to accommodate different voltages during transmission and during reception. Finally, the coupling capacitor often needs a precharge cycle between transmission and reception, which may lead to parasitic behavior in the system.
Additionally, regulators are often used to regulate the output of sound pressure levels (“SPLs”) for certain transducer applications. However, each transducer in the system usually has a corresponding regulator used to calibrate sensitivity or to compensate for variations in the output driver supply voltage. Accordingly, there is an undesirable correlation between the number of sensors in the system and the number of regulators.